Fifth Generation: Friend and Foe?
Fifth Generation (5G) global wireless networks [1], their implementors and advocates espouse the value of increased speed, throughput, and inter-connective nature to a device dependent society. The increased opportunities for automation, development, innovation, and even lifesaving capabilities are boundless. The advances through 5G do little to extinguish privacy concerns and have even increased the attack surface of day-to-day online activities for threat actors. Security experts across the globe have weighed-in on the looming increase in threats stemming from 5G adoption. Are 5G advances worth an increased threat environment?
Advances in technology rarely come without increased utility and value, as the saying goes: necessity is the mother of invention. 5G technology will certainly improve individual value on real-time demands for banking, entertainment, medicine, travel and more. But the value of 5G to society writ large is based on a more interconnected series of data points transmitting at greater rates. There are substantial increases in value to autonomous vehicles, e-health, [2] preventative healthcare, and more at the societal level. 5G anticipates a future more urban in nature by adding Massive MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) and full duplex technology which will help optimize physical layer limitations. [3] 5G is set to elevate and optimize societal transformation, but are we ready?
Larger societal demands and adoption currently reply ‘yes.’ The increase of interconnected needs via 5G has not slowed. China and the U.S. boast 356 and 296 5G-connected cities respectively. [4] Mobile users, dependent on networks like 4G and 5G now make up over 55% of total internet traffic.[5] Internet of Things (IoT) device growth was anticipated in 2019 by over 40% to 25B devices in just two years. 16% of 5G traffic is routed to IOT devices, but host nearly 80% of mobile malware. [2]
The threat surface is not shrinking with 5G infrastructure. Over a third of all cyber attacks on 4G networks resulted from poor equipment configuration and that trend is expected to grow with additional 5G equipment implementation roll-outs.[3] In some cases, 5G operators are required to comply with governmental intelligence services posing additional threats to privacy and interoperability in this modern globally connected society.[6] In fact, the threat posed from 5G implementation is so omnipresent that the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) bins 5G vulnerabilities into five facets: “5G deployment, network security, use of untrusted components, the [information and communications technology] ICT supply chain, and the possible loss of competition and choice.” [7] Nations and ICT providers are seeking to better understand risk and mitigate where possible through collective research and sharing.
Ultimately society has not adequately addressed the impact to privacy through the role-out of 5G. There are few who adequately understand the security features of 5G and that raises concerns of confidentiality, privacy, and trust. [2][6] 5G infrastructure requirements provide for significant innovation opportunities, investment, and connectivity. 5G may be good for economic growth but may also threaten core social fabric beyond cybersecurity concerns of availability, integrity, and confidentiality. The energy (power), money, and time invested in realizing 5G may ultimately result in less privacy access for a citizen who uses mobile computing technology where required but not as a norm. And, it is not clear for whom the return on investment ultimately benefits. [3] For now, we can accept the coming wave of 5G development while questioning and increasing our understanding of the related risks to its complete adoption. 5G is truly friend and foe.
References:
[1] “What is 5G | Everything You Need to Know About 5G | 5G FAQ | Qualcomm.” https://www.qualcomm.com/5g/what-is-5g (accessed Aug. 20, 2022).
[2] N. Kshetri and J. Voas, “5G, Security, and You,” Computer, vol. 53, no. 3, pp. 62–66, Mar. 2020, doi: 10.1109/MC.2020.2966106.
[3] “Everything You Need to Know About 5G,” IEEE Spectrum, Jan. 27, 2017. https://spectrum.ieee.org/everything-you-need-to-know-about-5g (accessed Aug. 20, 2022).
[4] “5G availability by country 2022,” Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1215456/5g-cities-by-country/ (accessed Aug. 20, 2022).
[5] “Internet users in the world 2022 | Statista.” https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:mDco8gv_oXMJ:https://www.statista.com/statistics/617136/digital-population-worldwide/&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=nl&client=firefox-b-d (accessed Aug. 20, 2022).
[6] “Czech cyber watchdog calls Huawei, ZTE products a security threat,” Reuters, Dec. 17, 2018. Accessed: Aug. 20, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-czech-huawei-idUSKBN1OG1Z3
[7] CISA, 5G Implementation Security Risks, (Nov. 30, 2021). Accessed: Aug. 20, 2022. [Online Video]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRilokEA0_I
